


keep on getting closer

by t0bemadeofglass



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Genre: Airports, Alpha Kylo Ren, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Awkward Sexual Situations, F/M, Hot Tub Sex, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Rey, Road Trips, Semi-Public Sex, Sex Toys Under Clothing, Sharing a Bed, Size Difference, Size Kink, Wall Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-03-03 16:38:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13345209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t0bemadeofglass/pseuds/t0bemadeofglass
Summary: Rey’s heats had never been easy, and the idea of traveling while she was so close to one . . . wasn’t appealing in the slightest. It was illegal, actually.But it was Obi’s funeral, and she hadn’t been back home in months, so she had to try.





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to another bout of ABO dynamics with Rey and Kylo! Seriously, I can't stop writing this trope with these two: they just fit too damn well, and as it's one of my favorites, I'll be damned if I try to stop.  
> I'd love to hear what you think about this! The premise is a little nutty, but it's based off of [this video](http://shadowcycle.tumblr.com/post/169374537755) that the always amazing Betty showed me, and I couldn't stop myself. In my defense: it was 4 in the AM, and this video is hilarious. 
> 
> Thanks so much!

Rey’s heats had never been easy, and the idea of traveling while she was so close to one . . . wasn’t appealing in the slightest. It was illegal, actually. Too dangerous for an omega to be in a trapped cabin suspended some thousands of feet above the ground, scented strongly enough to drive any other alphas within twenty feet of her into a frenzy. Which, she thought as she eyed the line in front of her and tried into to flush, looked like there might be a lot. 

But it was Obi’s funeral, and she hadn’t been back home in months, so she had to try. Taking a Greyhound would be no different, she’d argued as she prepared herself the night before and that morning. This was just faster. And besides, she had a plan. 

It might not have been the best, but it was a plan at the very least. 

 

Having presented when she was young, Rey knew there was no hiding what she was. There were laws against it, put into place in order to keep people like her safe, both from the alphas of society and from themselves, but they were stifling. Ancient, and stubbornly antiquated and unupdated. 

And, of course, there were ways around them. When she’d heard of Obi’s passing, having known he was sick but unable to pull herself away mid-finals, she’d spent half of her time crying, and the other half figuring out how to best get there without wasting away all of her savings. She’d bought the first ticket available without even knowing the date of the funeral, and thought to at least rely on staying with Finn while she was in the area, before she could fly back. He hadn’t minded when she’d reached out to him, planning on attending himself, and she was so grateful she’d cried herself to hiccuping when he’d agreed. 

When the beginnings of her heat had started to present itself, manifesting in the itch she could never quite scratch, in the fire that lined her veins and licked the insides of her thighs without any provocation, she knew she had to figure out a way to make this work, regardless of her status. There were ways to get around it, this she knew. It was just about figuring out which ones would work the best, and the fastest, to get her where she had to be. 

In line, Rey shifted in slight discomfort. Even now, she could feel the beginnings of her heat starting to eat away at her control. She couldn’t have smelled too strongly, wasn’t presenting at the frequency or intensity as she might have normally, given that none of the alphas or omegas around her seemed to have noticed, but there was a slick discomfort between her legs, and a shortness to her breath that had her pulling at the collar of her coat. Southern California wouldn’t require one, but Maine, where she’d been studying? Definitely a necessity. 

Her eyes roved over the TSA guards flanking the metal detectors, trying not to focus on the broad shoulders and insane height of the one closest to her. Given the way the line was branching off, it didn’t seem likely that of the two detectors she had a choice of going through he would be monitoring hers. For that she was grateful. She didn’t think she’d be able to suppress a moan if she got close enough to an alpha who looked as he did, like her wet dreams had sprang to life. Grateful, now, for the coat, she squirmed as her nipples hardened and chafed against the tank top she’d grabbed in an attempt to layer. It wasn’t until she’d veered off to the right away from where he was standing, that she felt her muscles relax ever-so slightly. She had to wipe her sweaty hands off on her jeans, and swore she caught the TSA agent just in front of her, an intimidating wall of a woman, staring at the motion as though trying to decipher it herself. 

Breathing deeply, Rey stepped through the electromagnetic apparatus and spread her arms as instructed, trying to keep her heart rate under cover. What if they could smell her? What if this didn’t work, and she was refused the opportunity to go back home? She needed to return to Jakku, needed to see Obi one last time before he was put into the ground and she’d never get to see him again. She didn’t have time to wait for her heat to pass: she needed to go now. 

The machine beeped in a cross sort of way, and the female TSA agent frowned as she beckoned Rey closer. That wasn’t promising. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Rey went willingly, and stepped off to the side as the tall man watching the left side was brought towards her, beckoned closer by the woman. 

“Do you have anything metal on you?” the woman asked, bright blue eyes piercing in a way that Rey didn’t know was humanly possible. Trembling, she shook her head, wishing she could stop the way her body shook and how anxious she likely looked. They were standing too close, too near her, and she took a step back as the male agent peered at her, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. 

“Ma’am, I’m going to need you to come with me,” he said, in a voice that brokered no alternative. Rey’s heart pounded. 

“But--but I’ll miss my flight,” she stammered, looking in the direction of the tarmac, of the airplane that would take her to her foster grandfather’s home for the very last time. She had to go! There wasn’t time for any of this political bullshit. Why her? Why were they deciding that  _ she  _ had to be dragged into this? Was it because she was an omega? 

Was it because they knew her secret? 

The taller man put a hand on the back of her neck, and Rey felt every bone in her body give in to his authority, hating herself for the instinctual reaction of  _ obey _ that made her skin feel like it needed to crawl off of her body. Summoning up every ounce of strength she had, she pulled herself out of his grip. 

“Don’t you fucking touch me there,” she spat, snarling up at him, having to stand on her tip-toes in order to keep herself from craning uncomfortably up at him. “I’ll come with you but  _ you’ve got no right  _ to touch the back of my neck, fucking alpha jackass.” 

“Watch your language,” he snarled. “Or it’ll be more than a hand on the back of your neck. I can get out the cuffs if you’d rather.” 

Part of her would. Part of her was desperate to make his  _ bloody  _ day, to resist and cause a scene and get him sued for touching her where he ought not to. The rational side of her told her that if she wanted to get on her plane, resisting a formal request from the guard wasn’t going to work for her. So, with her tongue caught between her teeth to keep herself from saying something that’d get her court marshalled, she allowed herself to be led towards a secure room just to the side of the metal detectors, while another tall redhead took her agent’s place. God, was it a requirement to be well over six feet tall in order to do this job? Was it the intimidation factor that kept them all in work, and kept betas and omegas like her in check? 

She tried not to think so, but she wouldn’t put it past the establishment to keep it like that. 

He guided her into the room, and shut the door behind him with an awful sort of finality, turning to look at her with a hollow resignation in his gaze. “I’m going to ask this once, and I need you to be entirely honest with me. Nothing bad is going to happen if you just tell me the truth.” 

Rey felt her heart jump into her throat. Oh no, he knew. He  _ knew _ . Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and she struggled not to wipe them as she swallowed hard and nodded. She squirmed under his gaze, and felt her pulse jump. Fuck. 

“Do you have a bomb on your person, or have you planted one within this building?” 

Wait . . . what? 

 

Rey couldn’t think of anything more to do than just stare at him, his words sinking in slowly as she struggled to piece together how he would’ve come to that particular conclusion. He didn’t seem to take well to her silence, shoulders straightening as his expression turned into what could only be described as a glower. He bent down over her, as though to intimidate, and instead she felt a sliver of desire flicker its way up her spine. Fuck. 

“If you do now’s the time to tell me. If I find that you’re lying to me, or withholding information, you’re going to be--.” 

“I don’t have a bomb, I swear to you. I didn’t have one on me, didn’t plant anything--please.” The words flew from her lips, panic setting in as she tried not to focus on how much wetter she’d become since he’d begun this interrogation of his. “That’s--that’s not why I failed the metal detector test. Please. You have to trust me.” 

He laughed, but there was nothing funny about it. Horror spiked through her body as he moved to pull his walky talky from his hip, pressing the button to speak: “This is Kylo Ren and I’ve got a rogue opp--.” 

“No, please, I’ll tell you.” She felt tears of embarrassment start in the corners of her eyes, one hand extended as though to rip the device out of his hands. His hardened gaze focused in on her, narrowing slightly as he murmured a soft: “Cancel that,” into the device and placing it back at his side. One eyebrow arched, as though to ask her whether or not she was going to start, and Rey blinked furiously as she struggled to keep from losing her mind. Right. Well, the truth was better than being detained and forcibly checked, wasn’t it? 

“Can you turn around, please?” she asked, wishing she didn’t sound so weak. 

He shook his head. “No way. I don’t trust you, I don’t know what you’re about to do. What you’ve got. Out with it, ma’am.” 

Right. She clenched her jaw, resolve hardening. If he wanted to make this difficult, then fine. Slowly, she reached down to the hem of her pants and slid them down, easing them around her legs so that she could step out of them, her shoes having been left on the conveyor belt. Whatever it was this Kylo Ren was expecting, it was clear this wasn’t it. His eyes widened, expression open to her before he could school it, and he cleared his throat as she thumbed the edges of her panties before dropping them as well. “Ma’am--.” 

She breathed deep, and noticed his chest expanding as he did the same. His pupils dilated, and she could see the outline of his cock as she stepped out of her panties next to allow herself a moment before she pulled the thin dildo out of her cunt. She ought to have realized that the batteries in it would’ve set off the metal detector, the same with the plug she pulled, whimpering softly as her ass ached with the loss. It was a stop-gap measure to keep her from smelling too strongly of her heat, but now there was no mistaking the scent that hung heavy as a stormcloud between them. “No bomb,” she whispered, unable to keep herself from watching the confusion and realization as they played over Kylo’s face. His nostrils flared, and she felt her chest contract as he stepped back and towards the door. The ‘snick’ of the lock to the room activating sent a shiver up her spine, before Kylo turned to step towards her and crush her body against his. She was useless to say no, already so wet and desperate now that the toys had been removed from within her, her heat overcoming her senses and dragging him down along with her. 

 

His uniform, as unsexy as it could’ve been, shredded underneath Rey’s fingers in her haste to get him naked and atop her, the cold, grey table in the room serving as an impromptu bed for her to lay back against as Kylo stepped between her legs, newly bared for him. The angle wasn’t entirely right--he was  _ ridiculously tall _ \--but when he hefted her backside in his hands and slid home inside of her, she couldn’t have cared less. Rey felt herself howl with abandonment, her back arching and nails digging into the edge of the table as she stared up at the behemoth of a man above her. The toys that she’d left on the table fell to the floor, but she couldn’t have given a damn with how perfect he felt inside of her. 

“Please--tell me you’re--on birth control, or something.” He panted, the words about as unsexy as it got in spite of the delicious friction of his cock inside of her. 

Her face screwed up and she nodded. “Yes. God, you’re fucking--just come on and fuck me. Please.” 

He grunted and nodded, hoisting her legs up and around his lower back, only to have Rey gag when it bent her spine uncomfortably so. Fuck, it felt so good, but the angle was the absolute worst. He actually growled as she whined and struggled to find a way to lay down, and instead reached back to wrap an arm around her lower back and hoisted her up and into his arms. With an awkward wiggle, he maneuvered them to the wall, pressed her back up against it, and sank to the hilt within her. Her throat opened and she let out a guttural cry that she could feel through her whole body. Her nails dug into the back of his neck, where she held on for dear life as he started to move his hips in a quick, punishing pace. This. This was what she needed more than anything else, an itch to cure that neverending scratch that was her heat, a dousing of pleasure that had her shivering from the tips of her fingers to her toes, stomach contracting with every delicious thrust of his hips. Sex had never felt like this, had never been as fulfilling, and her body cried with want for this sensation for the rest of her life. Her heels dug into the small of his back, just below the well starched shirt that he’d yet to take off, and she whimpered as he canted them forward just so, hitting that perfect, sweet spot she had such a difficult time reaching herself. 

“Don’t stop--ohhh fuckfuckfuck, don’t--stop, please.” Her words were a messy jumble, her lips swollen and her eyes lidded as she stared up at him, eyes struggling to remain focused as he found her gspot over and over again, the head of his cock slipping against it until she squealed and pulled him even tighter to her. Heat blossomed in her veins, in her stomach, and her gaze went white as she felt him stiffen in her arms and follow suit. Feeling his come drip out of her, Rey thanked whatever god was out there for the small mercies of the IUD, and pressed her forehead to his shoulder. With some disappointment, she realized that he must've pulled out just enough to keep from knotting her, and her cunt tightened around him as though to draw it into her body herself. She wanted the pressure, wanted the extra friction and pleasure--wanted his knot, more than she'd wanted anything else she could think of. 

It felt like a physical illness to not have it inside of her, like she was missing something, and she hastened to pull her mind onto something, anything different, to keep from fixating on how badly she wanted it. 

“Now,” she panted as she looked up at him, staring into his bloodshot, glassy eyes. “Are you satisfied I’m not carrying a bomb?” 

 

Her heat felt as though it had abated as they dressed in near silence, Kylo looking over his shoulder at her more times than she could count, and Rey flushed as she eyed the toys that’d since fallen to the round. No way was she putting those back in her body. Without looking at him, she left them where they’d hit the ground, not wanting to risk the humiliation she felt at having done such a thing tripling as they made to leave the room. 

“Uh, I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions, but you know you aren’t supposed to fly while you’re in heat,” Kylo said, staring at her as they paused just before the door. 

“Well,” Rey said with a small laugh. “You took care of that. The toys were supposed to do the same, but I think I prefer your methodology.” 

She watched as his ears turned pink, and leaned up to straighten his collar ever-so slightly. There was a warmth to his gaze as he stared at her that caused her cheeks to burn. She couldn’t help but wish, in the back of her mind, that this wouldn’t be a one-time thing. Certainly, she’d come back to Maine at some point within the next month, but who was to say he lived anywhere near she did? It was a big enough state, with more than enough places for him to live that were nowhere near her own. 

And Rey didn’t do long distance. It was hard enough to keep her particular brand of crazy to herself, let alone add heats and general desire to be with someone to it. 

“I am being serious. There are laws against it put into place to keep you safe--.”

Her thoughts of turning this into a lasting, working relationship evaporated. Her jaw set, and her eyes narrowed as she stared darkly enough at him to shut him up. “I need to get to California. This is the fastest way to do so, unless you’ve got a rocket pack strapped to your back you aren’t telling me about.” 

It was his turn to scowl, and Rey felt herself bristle further at it. “No. Don’t be ridiculous. But I’m telling you I can’t let you board that plane in the state that you’re in. Your captain is an alpha, most of the surrounding passengers will be alphas. You’ll send them into a Rut, and at a couple thousand feet in the air that is the last thing that you want.” 

She opened her mouth to argue just as the sound of the lock sliding back into the door filled the silence. Neither said a damn thing as the door opened, to reveal a very scarred, very red faced man in the doorframe. “Would you two care to explain yourselves?” he demanded, voice soft as he looked to his right, then back to them. Rey turned to follow his gaze and felt her heart drop. Behind them had been an enormous dark mirror that she was almost certain allowed for a room on the other side to look in. 

They were well, and truly, fucked now. 


	2. Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you guys so much for all of the support! You've all blown me away, thank you a thousand times over for reading and commenting. You're wonderful, each and every one of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 
> 
> I hope you love this. There'll be a third part coming, though I'm not entirely sure when. Thanks for hanging out until then, and I hope you enjoy!

She was told, on more than one occasion, that she was lucky it wasn’t worse. That she was fortunate not to be arrested for having sex in a public space, and that if she  _ had  _ gone into the air and caused all the problems Kylo had warned her about (that she  _ already knew about _ ), she could’ve died. She stifled tears through her lecture, watching her plane ticket as it was ripped in front of her face, and offered back like a reminder that the world she was born into truly  _ hated  _ her kind, and that nothing in her life could ever be as straightforward or easy as it seemed. She’d worked overtime for a month to be able to afford her tickets there and back, and now she was out that money without any sort of compensation. Her bags had been given back to her, and she’d been escorted to the curb to wait for a cab to pick her up. Only then, when she’d been given her privacy, seated on a bench near a secluded corner of the drive, did she allow herself to sob. It wasn’t natural, it wasn’t something she did often, but the world felt as though it had crashed down around her shoulders, and one good fuck certainly wasn’t worth it. 

When the tears dried on her cheeks and the sleeves of her sweater, her attention caught on a figure making its way down the stairs. A very tall, dark haired figure, dressed now in a casual pair of jeans and a black shirt, with what looked like personal effects in a box in his arms. Fury the likes of which Rey hadn’t known welled up inside of her. Her jaw clenched as she rose, moving to meet him just as Kylo exited the staircase. “Thanks for fucking that up,” she spat at him, stomping closer as he turned to meet her. 

Kylo’s own brows furrowed, his dark eyes taking her in as he scoffed. “Me fucking that up? You’ve got to be shitting me--you were about to go into  _ heat _ and get in a pressurized tin can, essentially! I can confirm, for a fact, that over half of the occupants of same tin can--including most of the staff working--were alphas. You would have been torn apart and eaten alive. You wouldn’t have fucking  _ made  _ it to your destination you moron.  _ I  _ lost my job!” 

“Because you couldn’t control your hormones. How’s that my fault? Big, bad alpha that you are,” she reached forward to poke his chest, undeterred by how solid he felt. She’d just had her arms wrapped around his neck not long ago, his body pressed tight to hers. Her cunt throbbed at the reminder. “You cost me my fucking plane ticket. I need to get to California within the week.”

His expression was murderous. “Then I guess you’d better start walking,” he scowled, shoving past her to make his way to the parking garage. 

Rey didn’t give up that quickly. “You owe me!” she shouted at his back, stomping after him and gripping him by the arm to pull him around again. He very nearly knocked into her, teeth bared. Something deep inside of Rey twinged out of fear, and it must’ve shown on her face, because he calmed down moments later. 

“You lost me my job. I don’t owe you anything. I have nothing left to give you,” he said, tone losing the worst of the bite to it. 

She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn’t believe it for a moment. “Yes you do. Drive me to California, then we’ll be even.” 

For a whole moment he looked as though she’d struck him, his eyes bulging in the sockets, his jaw falling open in shock, and then a hard, humorless laugh left his lips. It didn’t stop, rolling out of him like thunder, and his whole body shook with it. “Drive you? To California? You paying me for it?”

“You owe me, Kylo Ren. You fucked me, you fucked me over, and you. Owe. Me.”

He very nearly dropped his belongings as he grabbed her hand before she could poke him in the forearm again. What light had been in his eyes, out of surprise or mirth, was gone now, and she felt a wave of heat wash over her as his skin pressed to hers. No, bad Rey. Fuck. 

“What’s in California that you’d risk your life to go see? Some Hollywood mogul to feel you up on your way to stardom? That state is nothing but trouble, and on the opposite side of the country. And I’m without an income. So the answer is--.”

“A funeral. My foster father’s.” She didn’t know what’d prompted her to answer, only that her throat felt tight, and the corners of her eyes grew wet. “I have to be there. I--that flight cost me just about everything I have to get, and now I can’t. I don’t have a car--I don’t even have a damn license, and I can’t afford a bus ticket at this rate. If it’s about the money I can--I can pay you back when we get done. But I need to--.” Her voice cracked, and she hated herself for her weakness. Hated herself for showing the emotion that pooled in the corners of her eyes and choked her up enough that she had to look away. She dug her nails into her palms, trying to focus on the pain to will away the disastrous plea working its way from her mouth. “I need to get there. Please.” 

She didn’t have the heart to look up at him, to see the pity or the disgust likely in his eyes. She shouldn't have stopped him, should’ve just let him go on his way and gone to the highway to start hitchhiking. It would’ve been easier that way, would’ve kept her from having to suffer from the shame that inched its way up her spine and across her chest, tightening her ribs around her heart. 

“C’mon, my car’s this way.” 

Her head snapped up, lashes stuck together as she stared up at him in bleary, nearly blurry, disbelief. He’d already turned his back to her to lead her towards his car, and she hastened to move after him. It’d worked. It’d actually worked. 

 

Kylo needed to stop back at his apartment to collect a few things of his own before they set out, and Rey kept her mouth shut the whole while, grateful enough that he was going out of his way to help her that it silenced any cries about lost time she might’ve had. While he packed she waited in the car, fiddling with her phone to try and find the best route, the cheapest hotels and motels on the way, and the least expensive dining options. She was used to living on fast food and ramen, but wasn’t so sure that her companion would be similarly amenable to the idea. Still, she’d gotten by on worse. She wasn’t about to let this get in the way. 

Hell, she was still finding it difficult to believe at all that he’d agreed to go, as though she was living in some sort of parallel universe where fate started to  _ go her way  _ after all. 

When Kylo returned Rey felt her stomach twist, wishing that she didn’t know what his dick felt like inside of her. He’d changed into a leather jacket over his shoulder, a deep grey t-shirt anda  well fit pair of jeans that made her want to bite his thighs, a bag slung over his shoulder with, presumably, his belongings enough to last them the drive. 

The next 48 or so hours were going to be  _ long _ . 

That train of thought brought heat to her cheeks, enough so that she had to turn her head to look the opposite direction as Kylo opened up the back seat to throw his belongings in. 

“You realize how long we’re going to be stuck in the car for, don’t you?” he asked, shutting the door, before moving into the driver’s seat. 

She looked over to nod. “Little more than two days, yeah. But I’ve gotta get there, and you’ve got nothing better to do now.” 

Kylo scowled at that, throwing the car into reverse before Rey could even buckle back up again. She squealed in surprise, and Kylo gave a short laugh. She reached over to backhand him on the shoulder. “Ass.”

“This ass is driving you across the damn country.” 

“And is the one responsible for making it so that I couldn’t fly.” 

She watched his knuckles whiten on the wheel. Well, she wasn’t wrong! If he’d just let her go--damn the consequences--he wouldn’t be in this situation! Neither of them would be. Kylo, it seemed, had nothing else to say, the way he chewed on the inside of his cheek and pressed a little harder on the gas as they neared the nearest on-ramp to the Interstate. Good. She tugged her legs up to her chin, folding in on herself before reaching to the side to grab her bag. She’d stashed snacks, gum, and--how in the hell had condoms gotten in there? She burned with embarrassment, nearly choking on her own breath as she shoved them off to the side and buried them beneath the rest of her things. Her heat had slightly subsided, at least enough to think rationally, and to keep Kylo from doing . . . something stupid again. It wasn’t lost on her that she was embarking on a road trip with an alpha, that she’d already gotten into trouble with said alpha already because of the way they interacted, but there wasn’t much of a choice. 

At least he was good, and if he hated her then he was doing a damn good job of hiding it. Really, if anything, the next time they stopped at a drugstore or gas station she should probably load up on protection, just in case. 

The crinkling of a small bag of chips in her hand broke her out of her train of thought. She opened and devoured its contents, though it did little for her appetite. She was more concerned, however, about getting a good few hours of travel knocked out of their length trip. She’d done worse than go without a full meal for a few hours. 

 

Kylo, as it turned out, didn’t share those same ideas. They’d hardly made it onto the highway when it seemed as if they were turning off again and heading towards a small mom and pop diner she’d seen once on a traveling TV show. She turned to glower at him. “Really? We’ve only just started.”

“I’m hungry,” he said with a shrug, not even turning to look at her as he flicked on his turn signal and headed to the almost full parking lot. 

Rey groaned, just barely keeping herself from burying her face in her hands. “There have got to be at least a hundred McDonalds between here and California--. What? You have something against chicken nuggets?” Her eyes narrowed. How could she trust a man who didn't like them? Hell, there’d been nights when rent had just been paid, and Rey’d scraped together enough to shred a four piece into her ramen for a little extra protein. College was difficult enough, she didn’t always have time or energy to think about a better, healthier way of filling up. 

Kylo ignored her, opting instead to roll his eyes and throw his car into park once he’d found a suitable spot. He didn’t wait for her to get out, leaving Rey to scramble after him, clutching her bag in her hands. Shit, this wasn’t what she’d had in mind when she’d told him he needed to drive her back home. Asshole that he was, he’d probably planned some kind of “tour of the country” for them to hit on their way. She’d be damned if she let him get away with it without throwing in her two-cents. They were on a time crunch! Couldn’t he understand that? 

The diner was smaller than it looked on the outside, the overwhelming scent of mingling alphas, omegas, and betas packed into one small area, fresh pancakes, bacon, and sausage filling in the spaces between. It was enough to make Rey dizzy. Without waiting to be seated, Kylo made his way to the furthest empty booth from the door, and Rey chased right after him. 

“Really?” she sneered as she slid in to the other side. “You’re that guy? The one who decides to seat himself wherever he chooses?” 

He stared at her, before reaching towards the center of the table, where a small pile of menus had been stashed under the salt and pepper shakers. “Yeah. When it says on the front stand to seat yourself, I do.”

Oh, she’d missed that. Her ears burned and she hastened to grab a menu herself, trying to hide her burning ears behind it. Well, that hadn’t gone as she’d expected it to. She swore she heard him laugh and pointedly ignored it in favor of avidly reading the menu. At least he’d decided on a place that she could afford. This trip wasn’t going to be an inexpensive one, to say the least, and though she might’ve told him that he would have to pay her back, she didn’t anticipate him actually going through with it. She needed ot be ready when he balked at paying for their food, their gas. At everything. That particular anxious thought twisted her gut, and she worried at her bottom lip as she decided on the cheapest plate there was, three eggs and some toast with sausage. That ought to last her for quite awhile, even longer if she rationed out her snacks. 

It would all depend on how long he could go, she supposed. She eyed him around the edge of her menu. He was a big guy (that much she’d  _ felt _ , she thought as her flush deepened) which meant his metabolism, and caloric intake was likely to be greater than hers based on his sheer size. They’d never get there in time if he was stopping every thirty minutes to eat, and she pursed her lips as she wondered whether or not they should try and load up on the extras if they had a chance to. Maybe when they fueled up she’d propose the idea. Conserve time by doing it all at once. 

Their waitress came over with a big smile on her face, staring between the two of them as though she knew something they didn’t, eyes constantly moving from between the two of them as they ordered a pair of coffees, and banana bread for Kylo to start off with. Rey tried not to groan  inwardly at that. She knew it. 

“I just wanna say,” the waitress said as she came back to set down their steaming mugs of coffee, Kylo already preemptively ripping three sugar packets open so he could dump them in. “That I think it’s real cute you two order for yourselves. It’s not usually that way, but good for you two for being so progressive.” 

Rey actually felt her blood go cold, her eyes zeroing in on the deep blue irises of their waitress, and wondered how much force she’d have to put behind it to claw her eyes out. What the flying fuck was this woman thinking? And where in the hell did she get off saying something like that? She opened her mouth to say something when Kylo reached across the table to take her hand, and squeezed it. 

“Thanks,” he said, though his voice held nothing but ice. “We’re largely into the train of thought that we’re our own separate people, funny enough.” 

The waitress’s smile faltered for a moment, stuck between the two glares, before she hastened to disappear back towards the kitchen. Rey bared her teeth, feeling her skin bristle as she yanked her hand away from Kylo. “Why’d you stop me from gutting her right where she stood? Fucking progressive--it’ll be real progressive when I shove my fist up her ass--.” 

“Because you can’t get to California if you’re in jail,” he muttered under his breath. “Calm down. God, I can practically feel your anger radiating off of you, let alone smell it. You’re going to get everyone in here worked up.” 

Not that she wasn’t already. She could see from the corners of her eye where she was attracting attention, her distress obvious in the scent that her body naturally exuded. She hated it, hated being looked at as though she was someone who needed to be protected, hated being pitied or looked down on because of how she was born. It was none of anyone’s damn business whether or not she ordered for herself or let someone else decide, let alone belittled for having her own opinion and being her own person. Where the flying fuck did she get off? 

Still seething, she barely even noticed as Kylo sighed and got up, moving to sit beside her now and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Just breathe,” he muttered, tugging her face towards the crook of his neck, as though hoping that would be enough to get her to relax. 

Damn him for being right. There was something about his smell that had her fists unclenching, that soothed the raging, ragged beast within her that called for the waitress’s heart on a platter. She pressed her nose further to the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply as she did so, and felt her chest begin to lighten. There. That was better. 

“How do you do that?” she muttered against his skin, her eyes closing slowly as she just breathed him in, taking in the heat of his skin, the way her own seemed to electrify with something so simple as his body against hers. 

Kylo’s chest vibrated with his laugh, and her hands clenched onto his shirt, whining low in her throat as he started to pull away. She wasn’t ready for that, though. “I could ask you the same about your anger issues. And they say that omegas are supposed to be the tame ones.” 

There was nothing tame about her. Hadn’t he realized that yet? She shrugged and let herself pull away from him just as their breakfast was brought around. This time the waitress said nothing, simply setting down their plates and backing up and away so that they could have the meal in peace. Those who had stared were back to looking at their own companions, their plates, and with the attention off of them both Rey allowed herself to relax and dig in. 

 

To her surprise, at the end of the meal Kylo picked up the bill, and she didn't dare say anything about it as the waitress gave them both one last look before running the tab. She barely said thanks as she handed it back, stepping away and allowing them to leave the diner without the scene that Rey had been more than willing to give them. 

 

“Have you always had anger issues like that?” Kylo asked once they hit the highway, his dark eyes flashing over towards her, full lips parted slightly as he leaned back in his seat and shifted from side to side, clearly getting comfortable for what he knew was going to be a long haul ahead of them.

Rey worried at her bottom lip, eggs and toast settling like dead weight in her gut. “Yeah. I guess so. My foster parents tried to temper it out of me the best they could, but I’ve always been the scrappy little nobody from nowhere. It’s just--I dunno. I don’t like it when people make assumptions about me just because I’m omega. It doesn’t mean shit.” She looked intentionally out the window, the words acrid on her tongue as she struggled to keep silent. He didn’t need to know more than that. Hell, she could already feel the heat rising up her neck at how much she’d just given away with that alone. It’d been a hell of a surprise, as a kid, when she’d presented as an omega, everyone having assumed she’d be a particularly rowdy beta, or an alpha, given how quick she was to fight. 

When she’d presented, she’d locked herself in her room for the first week, not wanting to come out and meet the shame and disappointment in her foster parent’s eyes, not wanting to see the derision on her classmate’s faces. It’d nearly gotten her taken away from her parents, who were accused of neglect and letting her run the house, and she’d never let herself forget how weak her emotions had made her, how they’d almost destroyed everything. 

Like they threatened to now. 

“So you keep it like a chip on your shoulder?” Kylo’s voice broke her out of her thoughts, and her head whipped over to look at him as he stared forward and out the window. “Keeping yourself cut off from everyone else except your foster parents because you don’t want them to know that you’re tough on the outside, but not so much on the inside.” 

“Excuse you?” she hissed. “Where in the hell do you think you get off--.” 

“I’m just calling it like I see it. You’re angry because of how you presented, and you think you can buck the system because of it. Because, if you don’t act weak, if you don’t give in to what your body is telling you, then you can pretend that it doesn’t affect you. Right?” 

She saw red. It was very lucky he was driving else she might’ve torn his throat out with her teeth. “And you’re an asshole . . . why? Because you’re covering up the fact that you don’t give a flying fuck about anyone else and it makes you feel like shit?” 

His laugh was derisive and hollow as it filled the otherwise dead space between them. “Yeah. Something like that.” 

She didn’t like that he was brushing her off in that way, but without anything else clever to say in return she was left scowling and turning her attention back to look at the road. Bastard. 

 

They hardly spoke for the remainder of the drive, Kylo only pulling over for fast food, or else to take a quick rest break at Rey’s request. She was loathe to be off the road for longer than absolutely necessary, but as night fell and she watched Kylo’s speedometer start to waver, she decided that was as good a sign as any. “How do you feel about pulling off for the night and getting some rest? We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” By her calculations--which she’d been working on every few minutes to keep her mind off of the awkward silence between the pair of them--it’d take well over twelve hours without any extended breaks for them to make it all the way, but she was ready to do it. To finish this, get back to her home, and say her goodbyes to Kylo.

He hummed his agreement, and she couldn’t help but notice the relief that washed over his face. Would he have kept driving if she hadn’t said anything? He didn’t strike her as a ride all night long type of guy, but . . . maybe. Maybe he was just as eager as she was to be done with this. 

According to the road signs they’d been seeing for the past couple miles, there was one hotel within driving distance once they got past the city limits of Missouri. And honestly Rey would just be glad to get out of the car to stretch her legs for longer than a couple minutes. She might’ve thought she’d be able to handle this whole thing in one go . . . but there was no way in hell. Her muscles had already cramped, now it was a matter of getting them to relax. 

The hotel was small, which was par for the course given that they were in the middle of what felt like nowhere. Especially after Indianapolis, this small building felt quaint, to put it as nicely as she could. As he unloaded their bags for the night, Rey headed up to the front desk to ask for a two bedroom suite. 

What they got was all that was left: a single suite with a hot tub already in the room. She took a moment to let the classiness waft over her, biting her bottom lip as she stared at the garish wallpaper and carpeting and tried not to let herself freak out. 

They’d already slept together, what was the big deal? “You want to sleep in the tub or do you want me to?” she asked quietly, eyeing the queen sized bed in the very center of the room as Kylo put their belongings down. 

He snorted and shook his head. “Neither one of us is going to sleep in the hot tub,” he said with a look her way. “We’ve been stuck in the car for over twelve hours, almost straight. Tomorrow will be much the same thing. There’s plenty of room in the bed.”

So he said. He’d never slept with her like that before. She nodded, making a mental note to remember to go down and ask the reception for more blankets so that he wouldn’t have to worry about her stealing all of them, when he started running said hot tub, letting the warm water fill the enormous basin. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, eyeing him. “We need to get to bed at a decent hour so we can get up earlier. I’m guessing you’ll want to grab breakfast before we leave, meaning we’ll have to be quick.” 

“I’m sore as all unholy fuck. I’m going to take a soak,” he said, pulling out some of his toiletries and perching them on the side of the tub. “You’re welcome to join me. There’s more than enough room for both of us, and I’m sure you’re just as sore as I am.” 

Her bones felt like they were groaning in agreement, but she clenched her jaw. “If this is just another ploy to see me naked--.”

He actually laughed at her. “Oh my god, you are certified paranoid.” 

“No I’m not,” she scowled, hating herself for sounding so childish. 

“Then you’re afraid of me.” 

“No!” 

“Then get in here and prove it.” 

 

The water did feel good on her skin, she had to admit, as she sank quickly into the heat, groaning almost out of habit. She didn’t have to look at him to know that he was grinning, the cat who’d gotten the canary, and tipped her head back so that she didn’t have to look at him as she let the hot water work its magic. Her skin burned in the best of ways, and if she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing she could forget he was even there. Watching her. His leg brushed up against hers, and she peeked open an eye to look at him angrily. His gaze was only adding to the warmth she felt. 

“You’re looking at me like I’m a steak or something for you to swallow whole.” 

“I’d love to taste you if you’d let me.” 

She felt her breath catch in her throat, and she turned her head away as he gave a quiet laugh. “No one would know but us. There’s no one to tell. I mean, I guess it all depends on how quiet you can be.” 

She reached out to kick him through the water, but he grabbed hold of her ankle when her foot connected with his knee. She felt her heart jump into her throat as he looked across at her, and all the air left her lungs as he slid closer. Her body burned, starting at where his fingers were dragging their way up her ankle, towards her knee, then her thigh. She parted her legs for him, claiming instinct, and the burning only grew worse as he pressed his bare chest against hers. His pupils were blown almost to high heaven, and she wished he didn’t look at her as though she was the only thing in the room. 

“You smell good,” he said softly, breathing deeply as he bent his head to the crook of her neck. “Like heat.” 

Heat. Heat was definitely a word for the feeling coursing through her body, the way her every nerve felt on fire and active as she shivered despite the warmth of the water and the warmth of his hands against her. He licked at the crook of her neck, and she groaned, rocking her hips against where his cock had come to press against her slit. She could take him inside of her if she moved ever so slightly, and sore muscles or not he wasn’t exactly moving out of her way to stop it. 

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she leaned down to grip him in her left hand and guide him into her, desperate for that heat that’d been simmering just below the surface since they’d met earlier that day. Since he’d fucked her silly the first time, and now owed her the same treatment. How could she make it through the rest of the trip if he didn’t? He owed her big time. 

His whole body shook as she pulled herself down onto him, desperate to feel all of him as she bucked her hips forward to take his whole length. He felt no less considerably this time around than he had before, and her toes curled as she rocked her hips against him, nails digging into his back as his teeth slid against the soft skin of her throat. 

“You’re sure?” he asked, though it was late to do so. He was already deep inside of her, her cunt already pulsing around him as she rocked her hips in time with her heartbeat. Heaven help anyone who tried to get him to pull out before she was good and ready. 

She nodded, moving one hand to grip the side of the hot tub and push him back and onto one of the seats on the side, using the raised bench on either side of him as a resting place for her knees. It wasn’t comfortable, and they screamed from already having been tired from a full day’s drive, but she didn’t care as she pushed him backwards on the seat and set to riding him as hard as she could manage. Water splashed on either side of the tub, her hair was sticking to the nape of her neck and to her forehead, but she couldn’t give a damn about anything except the way he twitched and slid inside of her, perfectly fit to be exactly what she needed. Her nails ran down his chest, and his full body groan made her grin. 

“Still wanna ask me if I’m sure?” she asked, leaning down to bite his collarbone and sucking a slow, dark purple bruise there. He was so pale, it showed up almost as soon as she pulled away, leaving her to repeat the pattern down his well built chest. He tasted sweet and sweaty in a way that made her want to devour him whole, and when she came she bit hard enough to nearly taste blood on her tongue. His hands found her hips and slammed her down harder onto his cock, making her whimper as she felt him pull out so he could come, his spend clouding the water between them. 

She felt a small wave of anger at that, irrational though it may be. She’d wanted to taste him, wanted to feel him again. 

What in the fuck was he doing to her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeahhhh. Of course there's going to be more sex! Can't help myself.


	3. Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God I'm so sorry for the delay. This was not meant to take as long as it did, but life, and inspiration, and just in general complacency got in the way--and I'm sorry a million times over for that. I hope you can forgive me and still enjoy this chapter, in spite of how long of a wait you've had. Thank you so much for all of your support!

She’d half expected him to offer to take the floor to sleep, given how he hardly looked at her as they got out of the tub and dressed. Rey didn’t see much the point in the latter. There was one bed to share between the two of them. She had two guesses as to how it was they would waste away the rest of their evening, particularly if one of them woke up early, and the first guess didn’t count. When he got into bed and curled up along the further edge of the bed, she openly scowled. As though he could sense it, he looked over at her. 

His brow furrowed. “What?” 

“You act like I’m going to get you sick or something. If you didn’t want to fuck me, maybe you should’ve let me board the damn plane.” 

He blinked a couple times, his brain clearly working to put together how the two correlated, when she rolled her eyes and slid under the sheets herself, huffing in anger. 

“I was trying to be respectful. By taking one side of the bed.” 

“Yeah?” she called over her shoulder. “And fucking me in the tub? That was respectful?” 

He snorted, and she felt her irritation grow at that. Really? He found it funny? 

“I mean. I asked before I did it.” 

She grit her teeth, gripped the pillow under her head, and in a wide arc brought it crashing down on his face. “Eat feathers, asshat.” 

He spat, sitting up and blinking, face drawn in shock. “Wh--what the--did you really just hit me with a pillow?” 

She brought it crashing against his chest, yelping as he grabbed it right out of her hands and forcing her sprawling over his lap from the force. From her front, she craned her neck to look up at him and flushed to watch the dark look cross over his face. Without mercy, he brought the pillow down hard against her ass, the crack both surprising and satisfying in the worst of ways. Another yelp left her lips as he reached for her middle, turned her over, and abandoned the pillow in favor of digging his fingertips into her waist. She howled, back arching, as her body convulsed with laughter, heels digging into the mattress as she scrambled to get him to release her. 

“N-no! Stop! Fu--Kylo, stoooop,” she whined, lungs hardly able to properly inflate as he dragged his fingers against her thighs and slipped them up and around his shoulders, tickling her the bottoms of her feet without mercy. The screech that left her lips made him wince, but he pressed on without hesitation. Her whole body ached, shivering as she struggled to breathe even remotely evenly, tears tracking down her cheeks as she fought his hands off, scratching at whatever parts of him she could reach until--. 

He stopped, his hands on either of her legs, and leaned in to press his lips to her cunt, still wet from the tub. Her body went still for a moment, her eyes widening as she stared up at him, trapped with her legs around his shoulders, her hands finding purchase on the bed as he licked a slow, even stripe up her cunt. Her toes curled, body still keyed up from his fingers having made a mockery of her muscles, abs sore from all the laughter, and when she moaned he pulled back just enough to make her hiss. 

“Rey.” His voice was a thunder in her ears that would’ve had her swearing up and down he was more storm than man. “I want to eat you out. Can I?” 

Now he was asking? She made a sort sound in the back of her throat, disbelieving as she nodded enthusiastically. “Yes--God, yes. Please.” 

He smiled as he turned his head to the side and bit her inner thigh, just enough to cause a small mark, before he leaned in closer. She let her head relax back, eyes fluttering shut at the first press of his tongue inside of her. One of her hands slid into his hair, fingers curling in the thick, soft waves as she tried not to hold on too tight, but desperately didn’t want him to stop. It was perhaps a little more polite than shoving his face in there, but something told her he might not mind. 

When his lips curled around her clit she couldn’t stop herself from clenching her fingers, hips bucking up to meet his face as she ground against him, desperate to alleviate the desire that had come back with such a force. His hands held onto her hips, thick fingers tight enough to bruise, as she whined and felt her cunt pulse, desperate to close up on something. Needing something deep inside of her, filling her up. She turned her head to the side, trying to look between Kylo’s legs to see what the likelihood of that happening, and her eyes widened to see him already hardening again. 

Fucking Alphas. 

Literally.

The thought made her laugh, though the noise was caught in the middle of a moan, and she felt the way that Kylo’s lips curled upwards in a smile at her delight. His efforts doubling, he devoured her cunt with such single minded determination that she wondered at how he could keep from burying himself deep inside her given that he was so ready. Weren’t Alphas supposed to only be looking for a rut, and nothing else? Their minds devoid of anything except burying their knot deep inside some (hopefully) willing Omega’s heat? 

When she came with a shudder and a great cry of surprise, he didn’t immediately lift up to bury himself inside of her. No, he eased her through it, his tongue far more tentative and gentle now that her clit was overly sensitive and her thighs wouldn’t stop shaking with want. 

What sort of fresh hell and heaven on earth was this? 

When he did finally pull away it was only because she pushed his head away from her cunt, trying to be as gentle with him as he was her. His eyes were glassy, his lips coated in her slick, and she sat up to taste herself on his lips, unable to remember a time when she’d wanted anything this badly, let alone something within her reach. She explored his mouth slowly, tasting everything he had to offer, the way that his taste melded with hers, the salt and sour and earthiness of her come. When they pulled away for air, she tugged him over top of her, allowing him to bracket his arms on either side of her shoulders as she hitched her legs up and around his waist. Her cunt, already soaking wet from her orgasm and a desire that didn’t know when to quit, made it all that much easier for his cock to slide inside of her. Every inch of him felt like a gift, and when she bucked her hips to take him all the way to the hilt, she felt him choke in surprise as the sensation reverberated between them. 

He bit her ear lobe, leaning in so she didn’t have to raise her hips so far, so that she could rock herself against him and whine as her body pulled him in as deep as could go. “God above you’re a needy little thing, aren’t you?” he muttered. She could hear the way he smiled, even over the snap of his hips meeting hers, even over the sound of her heartbeat echoing in her ears. 

She tried not to groan, tried her very best not to let herself enjoy the idea that  _ yes _ , yes she was so needy when it came to him. It was nearly sickening how her body craved him, but as his hips pumped against hers, she couldn’t bring herself to care much. Her heels dug into the small of his back, her lips parted as her nails pressed into the hard muscle of his shoulders, desperate to hold onto something solid and firm, and when she felt his knot beginning to swell, she took matters into her own hands. Flipping him onto his back was something of a feat, one that knocked the breath from her lungs and made her pause. Kylo blinked up at her, taken aback to find the world had spun and ended with him on the bottom, but he didn’t dare stop. As he pushed up and into her, she felt his thrusts growing more shallow, which was exactly what she’d been aiming to avoid. 

Lips pulled back in a snarl, she ground her hips down against him, taking him in, knot and all, and squeezed as tight as she could around his length. Kylo’s eyes went wide, his lips pulled back to show white teeth and red gums, and when he came it was with a howl of surprise that Rey felt in her bones. His knot locked them in place, and Rey felt her own orgasm crash on her chest so that breathing became painful. Her cunt tightened around him, feeling his spend fill her until she was almost bloated with it, sure that her stomach was distended from his cock and come alone.

She grinned, unable to help herself, as she ran her fingernails up his well defined abdomen, and leaned closer to press a slow kiss to his lips. “Your come feels so good inside of me,” she felt herself murmur against his mouth, exhaustion weakening the strength that’d kept her shoulders straight and her hips grinding against his. As he wrapped his arms around the middle, and felt, rather than heard, his murmur of agreement, she let herself drape across his chest and fell asleep to the beat of his heart and his warm, comforting scent all around her. 

 

When she woke up Kylo wasn’t there, and for a moment Rey’s heart felt heavy, her stomach turning sour. Her eyes scanned the room, grateful to find that at least his things were still in the room. She didn’t think he’d be keen to take off without his luggage and all of his belongings. If her luggages was as nice as his, she wouldn’t have left it. 

Were those some of the perks of having worked at an airport? 

The door opened, stopping her train of thought where it started, and she jumped out of her stupor to see Kylo with two plates of breakfast: sausage, pancakes, a couple packages of poptarts, and fruit, all of which were balanced in his enormous hands, while the keycard balanced between his lips. Lips that’d most definitely been all over her the night before. What sourness there might’ve been melted away to raw heat at the memory, and she pressed her thighs together to keep from letting it get worse. Whoops. 

When he took a sharp, quick inhale, she knew he hadn’t missed it. “Good morning to you, too,” he said with a small smile, setting down the plates on the dresser top. He eased himself onto the bed, leaning over until he could press his lips against hers in a quick kiss. 

Well, it was supposed to be quick, but when Rey pulled him further atop of her, and dragged one of his hands between her legs, where she was still slick with his come, the breakfast he’d so diligently scrounged for was quickly forgotten. 

 

They were late for their checkout, but if Kylo minded paying the extra fee he didn’t act it or say anything to Rey. Her cheeks burned at the looks they received walking away from the concierge’s desk, but for the first time in what felt like a week it wasn’t because of an unending heat, and when Kylo slid his hand into hers the embarrassment faded ever so slightly. After the sprawl of the hotel room, the car felt more cramped than ever, and even as Rey pulled her legs up to her chest again and watched the building fade into the rearview mirror as they started out once more, there was a strange sort of heaviness to the air that wasn’t there before. Now, away from the overwhelming scent of heat and sex and strictly Alpha pheromones, she felt her mind start to come back to her. They’d spent too long in the hotel that morning, what had she been thinking? She ought to have insisted that they get moving as soon as he’d comeback with breakfast portable enough for them to take on the road. They’d lost valuable time, and if it made all the difference between her attending and missing the funeral, she didn’t thinks he’d ever forgive herself or her hormones for keeping her locked in bed for as long as she had been. 

As though able to feel her mood shifting, Kylo’s gaze slid onto her. “Everything alright?” he asked, voice quiet and distinctly not . . . not Alpha-y in the slightest. He cared, and some deep, hateful part of her wished he didn’t. 

Her life would be so much easier if he didn’t care at all. 

“Yeah. I’m just anxious about making it is all,” she murmured. “We wasted a lot of time.” 

That made him stiffen, the line of his shoulders straightening as he managed to get a full look at her as they waited for the light in front of them to turn green. “Wasted? Didn’t seem like a waste to me.” 

“I told you,” she bit out. “I have a funeral I have to get to.” 

“It’s not like he’s going to get any deader.” 

She could have punched him. Would’ve, if she wasn’t so concerned it might make the car swerve and end up in an accident that would only push them back further. Her jaw clenched and her eyes stared pointedly out past the windshield as she determinedly shoved back tears. What an asshole. Like she didn’t know that, like she didn’t realize that of course Obi was never coming back and he was dead. Did it matter? He was a man who’s saved her from starving on the streets of Jakku, who’d taught her that love didn’t have to come from blood, and that family didn’t necessarily mean relation. 

And now this jackass who she’d let inside of her was poking fun, saying that it didn’t matter whether or not she was there. What a tool. 

 

To say her attitude towards him was frosty might’ve been understating how little she spoke with him, except to ask for a bathroom break, or to confirm that yes, she was fine driving for a little longer. Her scent seemed more muted, as though even the fire under her skin seemed to have cooled off from his attitude, and though she caught him chancing glances at her when he thought she wouldn’t catch him, she didn’t want to give in to it, or give into him, again. 

Even as they were forced to share a bed when it got too late and he could hardly keep his eyes open. She very much crawled onto her side of the mattress, wrapped herself up in the blankets to keep herself as isolated from him as she could, and set an alarm for 6am before shoving her phone under her pillow and closing her eyes. 

She thought she felt Kylo’s scoff and hurt more than she heard anything from him, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t the one being an unapologetic, unfeeling, asshole. 

 

The closer they got to California, the more tense Kylo became, as though every little thing about the state set him off. Rey watched from the corner of her eyes as his knuckles grew white on the steering wheel, as his jaw set into a hard line, and as she started recognizing the surrounding buildings, as she directed him towards the very house where she’d grown up. There weren’t any cars in the drive, not even Finn’s old rust bucket that Rey must have patched together half a dozen times for him after he’d scraped enough money to buy it. It wasn’t possible that the funeral was going on, was it? 

As she whipped out her phone to look over her past texts, her heart dropped to see that it’d been turned off, her latest payment having bounced as she’d spent all of her extra cash on her plane ticket that never panned out. With it were, what she guessed, the countless texts from the others asking where she was. Reminding her that she was supposed to be there, to be with the only family she’d known. 

As she looked up at the door, now opening to reveal a woman with pale hair piled atop her head, her eyes focusing on Rey through the windshield, then the man beside her, it was with a sinking sensation that she came to the realization that she’d missed it. 

She was too late, and she didn’t know how she’d forgive herself for letting Satine down like that. 

 

Rey could already feel the corners of her eyes growing wet from disappointment in herself and the situation as a whole as they stepped out of the car, their luggage forgotten in the back. As Satine wrapped her arms around her, holding her tight, Rey buried her nose into the woman’s shoulder and let herself crumble, the grief of what she’d lost--what she’d missed--too great to stand any longer. Satine rubbed her back gently, voice soft as she whispered that she knew,  _ she knew _ , that she was still so proud of Rey for making it at all. At least her knees didn’t give out on her, at least when she pulled away she was met with Satine’s warm, understanding smile. 

When her foster mother reached out to grasp Kylo’s hand, and tug him into a hug as well, Rey felt her sorrow melt into confusion. 

“My deepest condolences,” Kylo murmured softly, looking oddly comfortable in the woman’s grip given that they’d not been properly introduced. Satine had always been a hugger, but never quite like this. 

“I’m just glad you’re here, Ben. Obi would’ve been proud that you came back.” 

_ Now  _ her head was spinning, and she was pretty sure this was an illusion brought on by a lack of sleep and self deprecation. Had she called him  _ Ben _ ? Why? 

She watched Kylo--Ben?--tremble slightly in the woman’s grip, before he pulled away again to blink quickly, looking as though he was having some trouble swallowing. Satine didn’t pry, it’d always been one of Rey’s favorite things about her, and led them both inside with the promise of tea and lunch. Rey couldn’t help but glance towards Kylo as he held open the door for both of them, but he intentionally averted his eyes. What was wrong with him? Why hadn’t he told her that he had known Obi himself? 

Then again, had she ever actually brought him up to Kylo? 

Over tea and leftover casserole that Poe and Finn had brought over the other day, Rey gave a quick synopsis of how she and Kylo had met, cutting out the more scandalous details that Satine didn’t need to know. She filled her in on how they’d agreed to drive down here so that Rey could make it in time, while Satine told her about their old friends having come to visit, among them Kylo’s parents. 

“They’re still just in Corellia. I know Leia would love to see you. You never got to meet her, Rey, but I can’t imagine she wouldn’t welcome you both--.” 

“I’m not staying for long,” Kylo said shortly, chewing on the inside of his cheek and pointedly not looking at either of them. 

Before Rey could rebuke him for being such an ass, her lips already parting to yell at him for the way he talked to Satine, the woman was already leaning over across the table and taking both sides of Kylo’s face between her hands. It forced him to look up and over at her, Satine now standing in order to be even remotely close to his height. 

“You’re hurting still, Ben. I can see that. But your mother just lost a very dear friend to her, and one could argue that fate brought you along with Rey for a reason. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot because of the past. Let it die, Ben. Let it go.” 

Fate? Was that what they were calling it? Hours spent in a car because her heat had gotten the best of her, the pair of them drawn together by hormones, then by choice, no matter how convoluted the decision had been? Fate that she’d decided, against all better judgement, to take him again, then let him return the favor? Fate that even now they seemed linked beyond what Rey could start to comprehend?

It was all Rey could do to watch as his eyes searched hers, welling with tears as she spoke, as though she was reaching deep inside of his chest and literally pulling his heartstrings. Satine’s own smile was watery, and she leaned in to kiss the top of his chin gently as he broke down in her arms, clutching her as Rey had often done when she’d gotten the same face-to-face wake up call. It was a tricky technique, and as Satine’s warmth and comforting scent filled the air, one hand running down Kylo’s back, her eyes met Rey’s and she offered her a watery smile of her own. Swallowing thickly, Rey reached out to take one of Kylo’s hands in her own, threading their fingers, and bringing his knuckles up to her lips to kiss, letting herself relax as best she could. Letting her scent join Satine’s to comfort him as he broke down. 

It felt like absolution, and as Kylo’s hand squeezed hers, maybe like the start of something new for them both. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession time: endings are difficult haha. They either tend to not end exactly where I want them to, and I'm displeased with that but don't feel as though there's more to add to the story (due to inspiration, due to time, due to not wanting to look at it anymore, etc), or they end exactly where I want them to, but there's more that could be added but isn't because it's the perfect line/ending/etc. 
> 
> This is the latter. This is the last line that I had planned since day one, but where it came about, and how it got there, isn't exactly how I'd envisioned it. Now, however, I'm at a point where I cannot imagine it any other way, and I'm so, so sorry because I hate dissatisfying endings. I wanted this to end on a sort of hopeful note, with them getting where they needed to, not on time because we have to have some sort of conflict to make the emotional impact feel more real, but also with it not being entirely depressing. I hope I was able to accomplish that, and I hope you don't hate the end too much. I hope it doesn't feel as rushed as I feel it does, but at the same time, I'm mostly happy with it, and I'm just going to have to be content with that or else it'll be another millennia until I finish this.   
> Thank you, again, for your continued readership and support. You are all amazing.


End file.
